June 25, 2013

Secret Weapon: Non-Dairy Milks, Again

Experiment: almond milk and vanilla...not quite there yet, but edible and dairy free!

First, a status update: My recent GERD and gastroparesis flare up (belching, regurgitation, nausea, constipation, bloating) continues to subside, and I am feeling better! I am being more mindful overall regarding portion sizes, eating slowly -- two factors that I think are the top reasons my GERD has subsided -- exercising more and differently (new strength training sets, and twice-weekly Tai Chi class), and choosing foods more wisely.

GOT (NUT) MILK?

I've further reduced my dairy milk intake over the past weeks: I've avoided eating foods containing cow's milk at parties, and I am ignoring the usual stream of cupcakes and muffins at the workplace. And, options for desserts (my usual lone source of dairy at home) have greatly expanded with the purchase of a Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker! We have just started to play around with this new machine, and are having fun experimenting with all sorts of bases, including almond milk and hazelnut milk. (I think cashew nut milk will be the secret weapon for quality vegan ice cream, given the extraordinary results by Lula's Sweet Apothecary -- a NYC phenomenon which unfortunately may be closed/closing. Lulu's is the only vegan ice cream maker I've found that uses cashew milk instead of a coconut or soy or banana (see Gentle World's post on frozen bananas!) or almond base.

So, is it the addition of our ice cream maker (and, consequently, increased non-dairy desserts) that is making a difference, reducing my GERD symptoms? Another possibility is my reduced carb intake, something I decided to informally monitor lately. Less carbs = less breads = less wheat. Another variable? (But, elaborate tracking charts aside, it seems GERD can come/go without rhyme/reason/the stars align in mysterious ways. Does anyone else ever feel this way?!) Making a note and wondering if I need to go on another food elimination diet to see what's up with that.

From around the web, some dairy-free resources/recipes:

YUM Universe's Dairy-Free Milk primer is a nice quick look at making and using dairy-free milks (including nuts but also sunflower, millet and rice!)

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What is Cranky G?

I have been diagnosed with gastroparesis -- "slow stomach emptying." In other words, things don't move as quickly as they should. Side effects include GERD, constipation, bloating and nausea. (I was first diagnosed with "GERD," so I named this blog in honor of the situation. These days, I think of it as Cranky G, for all of my cranky gastro issues, which include some GERD symptoms.) While my GI journey is the focus, I do include other topics here and there which may be of interest, and because we are more than our GI tracts! :)